Blame the Dancing Robots on Bossa Nova

An engaging mix of cute and bizarre, Bossa Nova Robotics' first two products--the aggressive, break-dancing Prime-8 and the super-cute Penbo--could fit neatly on any 4- to-12-year-old child's wish list this holiday season.

An engaging mix of cute and bizarre, Bossa Nova Robotics' first two products--the aggressive, break-dancing Prime-8 and the super-cute Penbo--could fit neatly on any 4- to-12-year-old child's wish list this holiday season.

Prime-8 is a yellow-armor-wearing gorilla. Its massive arms are actually wheels that can spin in tandem or separately to steer, dance or just act crazy. Hidden inside its yellow body are two plastic feet that glide out when Prime-8 wants to stand up. This remote-controlled robot includes infrared sensors on its front and back that it uses to "see" other Prime-8s and navigate its environment and guard your home. If you attach its spring-loaded rubber dart guns, it'll shoot at anything that moves.

The robot, which runs on eight AA batteries, can even play laser tag with other Prime-8s. While Prime-8 is programmable (up to ten remote-driven items), it won't remember a thing once you turn it off. Prime-8 also has two modes: "Happy" (normal) and "Gone Bananas" (crazy), though in both cases, most of what the robot does seems pretty random and loony.

A 25-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance Ulanoff is the former Editor in Chief of PCMag.com.
Lance Ulanoff has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases, ?on line? meant ?waiting? and CPU speeds were measured in single-digit megahertz. He?s traveled the globe to report on a vast array of consumer and business technology.
While a digital veteran, Lance spent his early years writing for newspapers and magazines. He?s been online since 1996 and ran Web sites for three national publications: HomePC, Windows Magazine...
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